Content

• Steps
• Advice
• Warning

This wikiHow teaches you how to check if your phone is on CDMA or GSM network. This info is very important if you want to unlock your carrier or use a specific carrier's SIM card on the unlocked phone.

Steps

1. 

   Consider the place. Unless your phone was purchased in the US or Russia, there is a high chance it will use the GSM network.
   • Even though CDMA is one of the two main carriers in the US, only about 18 percent of mobile networks in the world use CDMA.

2. 

   
   
   Understand that most cell phones use the LTE standard. CDMA and GSM are both 3G networks, but both CDMA and GSM network phones can use the 4G (LTE) standard as long as the smart device itself supports 4G SIM cards. This means that CDMA or GSM does not matter if you are not planning to switch to another network.
   • This also means that whether or not your phone has a SIM card is not a criterion to distinguish CDMA or GSM.

3. 

   
   
   Consider current carrier. Currently in Vietnam, all major carriers including MobiFone, VinaPhone, Viettel, VietnamMobile operate GSM networks. If you buy a phone from a carrier in Vietnam, it will almost certainly be the GSM version.
   • Verizon's US carrier has CDMA standard, and also supports GSM.
   • If you buy an "unlocked" phone, the phone itself is no longer associated with a particular carrier, so it's difficult to determine.

4. 

   
   
   Check the "About" section in the settings. If you see the item MEID or ESN This means your phone requires CDMA; also if you see the item IMEI then the phone is GSM. If you see both (for example, with Verizon phones in the US) it means the phone supports both CDMA and GSM or maybe one of them.
   • With iPhone - Open Settings, click General (General), select About and scroll down to find the number MEID (good ESN) or IMEI.
   • With Android - Open Settings, scroll down and tap System (on Android Oreo only), tap About phone, choose Status (Status) and find the number MEID (good ESN) or IMEI.

5. 

   Look at the model number of the phone. If you still cannot determine if your phone is CDMA or GSM standard, look at the model number. This information can be found in your phone's user guide, or you can check it in the settings About. With the keyword being the model number, you can look up online for the network type associated with your phone.
   • On iPhone, open it Settings > General > About and look at the number to the right of the "Model" heading, and for Android users to access Settings > System (only available on Oreo version)> About phone then find the name and model number here.
   • The iPhone's model number is on the back of the case, but it might be hard to see if you're on the space gray or black version.
   • If you can't find the model number, go to the manufacturer's page and look up your phone model (example: iPhone 7, jet black, 128 GB). You can narrow your search from here.

6. 

   Try removing the SIM and using the phone. While GSM and LTE phones both require a SIM card, you can use CDMA phones without inserting a SIM card. If your phone can be used without a SIM card it is CDMA.
   • The phone will be brought back to the 3G network.
   • You can remove the SIM card on both iPhone and Android phones.

7. 

   Call current carrier. Call the carrier you are using to ask if the phone is CDMA or GSM. In most cases they'll need the phone's IMEI or MEID number, as well as your name and other account info.
   • Again, if your phone is unlocked and doesn't have a specific carrier then you need to check the model number. Calling your carrier will not yield results.
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Advice

• GSM phones are most commonly used in Europe and Asia, thanks to the ease of use that people often choose to carry while traveling.
• When you take your phone to the carrier hub, you can determine if your phone supports both networks. Some phones (like some specific Verizon models in the US) support both CDMA and GSM networks through multiple SIM slots.

Warning

• If you can't find the model number anywhere, take the phone to the manufacturer's center (for example, if it's an iPhone, bring it to the Apple store, and Samsung Galaxy to a Samsung distributor) Let the technician determine the device's model number and network type. This is usually free.